THE latest chapter of a career written on the sweat of blood soaked bandages threatens to come undone on the haemorrhaging of cheap goals.

Hibs boss Terry Butcher is 55, has had two knee replacement operations and last kicked a ball in competitive football in 1993.

But you would still have bet on him making a better fist of defending Callum Paterson’s two Edinburgh derby goals that plunged his club even deeper into relegation danger.

A series of appalling stats are now piling up against Butcher and Hibs as their latest attempt to arrest their alarming form slump failed again at Easter Road.

This was as well as Hibs have played in recent weeks, which will give some succour to the Easter Road faithful ahead of their last three games of the season, but there’s little point boasting a creative edge in the final third if it’s all being undone in defence.

That’s now six defeats in a row in the SPFL, one win in their last 15 league matches and they have shipped an average of two goals every game in their last 10.

It is often the cobbler’s son that goes without shoes – and the defending from Hibs as Hearts struck twice in the first half was certainly a lot of cobblers.

It beggars belief that Butcher and Maurice Malpas, two of the most gifted defenders of their generation, can oversee such appalling lapses in their team’s defensive capabilities.

The hapless Jordon Forster was far too easily outmuscled twice in three minutes just before the interval as Hearts scored the decisive goals that had the visiting fans in ecstasy and the home support piling for the exits.

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The Jambos used their physical advantage to good effect in 37 minutes when Paterson rose above Forster at the back post to connect with a Billy King corner.

The Hibs support reacted with stunned silence, scarcely believing their team was a goal behind when they had dominated until then, even if genuine chances had been few and far between.

In 40 minutes silence turned to anger and disgust as the Jambos towered above the home defence again at a set-piece, an inswinging free-kick from the left peg of Kevin McHattie saw Patterson rise at the back post to nod powerfully home.

Hibs are running out of excuses but this time a big boy really did do it and run away as Paterson sprinted to the Hearts technical area on both occasions to share his unconfined joy with Gary Locke, the subs and backroom staff.

Forster made amends of sorts midway through the second half when he arrived at pace in the box to bullet a cross from Ryan McGivern into the net and suddenly it was game on.

Hibs continued to dominate but there was something heroic about the defending of Hearts as Danny Wilson and Ryan McGowan led by example to repel their arch rivals time and again.

On the rare occasions they were found wanting they had Jamie MacDonald in super form behind them – and also some woeful finishing from the Hibs front men to help them on their way.

There were just six minutes left when McHattie’s clearance was beaten down by Liam Craig and the ball spun into the path of sub James Collins.

But the striker took a swipe at fresh air and connected only with MacDonald’s head as the ball was cleared and Hibs fans groaned.

MacDonald also made a world class stop to deny Collins in the last seconds of six nerve-shredding minutes added on, throwing himself high to his left to touch his volley from the edge of the box.

Even though the assistant’s flag was raised and the goal would not have counted, it summed up everything about the confidence coursing through this Hearts side.

They might even have snatched a third near the end of regulation time as they hit on the counter, which has become something of a speciality under Locke.

Ryan Stevenson sprinted clear down the left and his clever dink over the advancing Williams was already being celebrated by the visiting fans behind the goal before it spun an inch wide of the post.

Hibs can consider themselves unfortunate, on possession and chances created, not to have taken at least a point but even the most diehard Easter Road fan will concede they cannot defend as poorly at this level.

In Alex Harris they had a potential game turner, but both he and Kevin Thomson, the best Hibs players, were thwarted early in the second half when their efforts spun into the side net.

MacDonald also did well to push away a Craig free-kick shortly before Forster nodded his side a lifeline but thereafter, those Collins efforts apart, Hearts held firm and refused to concede an inch.

Both sets of support had earlier joined in a raucous minute of applause in memory of Margo MacDonald and Sandy Jardine, two important figures who meant so much to each club.

Margo would have looked down much more happily from above at the form of her favourites in the first half, even if Hearts fans took to taunting their rivals with glee, their own relegation fate sealed.

The better football before the opener, for what it was, came from Hibs as they sought the opening goal to settle relegation nerves.

Sam Stanton was particularly lively, lurking behind Jason Cummings in attack, and he deserved better when he flicked and feinted his way to the goal-line than to have his cross along the six-yard line go a-begging.

Craig then popped up on the left and picked out Cummings, who glanced his header inches wide of MacDonald’s left-hand post.

For all the possession, the fizz and the fury both keepers were relatively under-employed in the first half before Paterson struck, although MacDonald dived to his left after 32 minutes to push away a well-struck effort from Cummings.

However, there was a certain inevitability about the destiny of the three points as soon as Hearts took the lead.

Butcher has suffered the blood and the sweat – Hibs are showing little defensively to suggest anything other than tears will soon be following.